Latest

Anderson puts his head on his bat handle. He was out off the series' penultimate ball, having survived 54. Moeen played beautifully. What a shame for him. So near and yet ...Sri Lanka win by 100 runs. England fought bravely after such laxness yesterday. Thanks for all your correspondence and company. Good night. I need an ice pack for my temples.

Wicket!! Anderson c Herath b Eranga 0 Fended off his shoulder, jack-knifing back and popped into short leg's hands.

OVER 114: England 248-9 (Anderson 0* Ali 108*) Mathews brings himself on, and sticks it in the corridor. Moeen is not to be tempted, though. He hasn't been since the first two overs of his innings. Moeen survives. Eighteen balls to go. I'm all written out, but I'll carry on. Ball by ball, you say? Go on then.

OVER 113: England 247-9 (Anderson 0* Ali 107*) Herath back from the Rhinos end and Moeen plays him with a straight bat, taking a single off the fifth ball, stroking it into the covers having come to the pitch of the ball with a sashay. Four to go.

OVER 112: England 247-9 (Anderson 0* Ali 107*) Eranga has another go. These are rapid bowling changes and short spells. Throw it against the wall and see what sticks seems to be the approach. Anderson is fending them off but without a silly point, Jimmy can play them without fear into the offside. Again Anderson is brave and clear-minded.

OVER 111: England 247-9 (Anderson 0* Ali 107*) Pradeep is entrusted with an over, one of seven left, and Moeen glances fine off his hip to bring up a gutsy, superb, chanceless and intelligent maiden Test century. he drives two more through point then steers four finer through gully. Six to go.

OVER 110: England 237-9 (Anderson 0* Ali 96*) Herath's arm ball just outside off skips past Moeen's edge to anguished cries. The batsman milks a single of the fourth ball, pushing it to midwicket, leaving Anderson crowded and facing two, both of which he plays comfortably with an angled bat because they are way too full.

OVER 109: England 236-9 (Anderson 0* Ali 96*) Eranga replaces Herath and scrambles Jimmy's resolve, flashing hard with a cut shot at a lifter, and fortunately missing. Eranga tests him with a fullish length and Anderson leaves it, lifting bat and hands over the top of it. Eranga finishes by rapping Anderson on the knuckles, the padding on his right hand cushioning it down on to the floor. Eight overs to go and Herath changing ends.

Everyone's having a pop

&lt;noframe&gt;Twitter: SIR_Fan - Moeen ali and Anderson have refused more runs than cook has scored in this series. &lt;a href="https://twitter.com/search?src=hash&amp;q=%23EngVSL" target="_blank"&gt;#EngVSL&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/noframe&gt;

OVER 108: England 236-9 (Anderson 0* Ali 96*) Still back of a length from Prasad to Moeen, allowing the batsman to bunt it into the ground or leave it. My word, his leaves have been exceptionally well-judged. Another maiden. Nine overs to go.

Ken Arlett poses the pragmatist's question:

Time for Cook to go, providing there is someone capable to take his place?

OVER 107: England 236-9 (Anderson 0* Ali 96*) Herath has all the Jimmy time he wants and six close fielders. Because there is no bounce, Anderson can play it with his bat and does so, edging three but they don't carry. He's survived 29 balls with sensible, brave, batting.

Michael writes:

A Captain's role is to get the best out of his team and since Cook has been at the helm I've not seen that once.

Of course its easy to compare him with Strauss. But was Strauss just exceptional and is Cook just poor or even average?

The risk is ECB replace him with Root who proves to be average or worse and Root's batting disappears.

OVER 106: England 236-9 (Anderson 0* Ali 96*) Moeen is forever wary of Greeks bearing gifts, patting back a third full toss since he entered the nineties. He times his on drive beautifully but Prasad dives down to take the pace off it, possibly hurting hs foot as he twisted to dive. He seems OK. A maiden. Is anyone humming Men of Harlech?

OVER 105: England 236-9 (Anderson 0* Ali 96*) Herath is back on at the Football Stand End. Round the wicket he comes to Moeen who plays him with soft-handed defence. After three balls he comes round the wicket, Moeen changes his guard, and sweeps a single just infront of square. Six close fielders surround Anderson, who blocks well, bat angled down, then he French cricketsthe last, both pads facing down the wicket but successfully killing the ball. Twelve overs left. Prasad to bowl the first of them.

OVER 104: England 235-9 (Anderson 0* Ali 95*) Moeen again turns down a single for a push into the legside off Eranga then takes one off the fourth ball, with a drive off the edge that would have jarred his elbow. In comes the short leg for Anderson. The tricky trickster goes for the yorker instead and Anderson uses his Slazenger to dig it out then plays the last ball off his hip, safely down.

OVER 103: England 234-9 (Anderson 0* Ali 94*) I thought they'd let Herath finish Engalnd off, but instead Prasad come son and tests Jimmy Anderson's ability to play the short ball. He ducks the first, gets across and up to defend the next, then again plays it well up on his tiptoes. Anderson survives by being prepared to put his body on the line, taking a blow right in the goolies. Fourteen overs left.

OVER 102: England 234-9 (Anderson 0* Ali 94*) Moeen is not going to let Anderson face pace early in the over, turning down a single off Eranga, clipped off his hip. In comes the field for the last ball, slanted across by the bowler and Moeen leaves it well alone. Maiden. Then more Drinks. Weird that they have come around again so soon.

OVER 101: England 234-9 (Anderson 0* Ali 94*) Anopportunity taken by Moeen, who stands, with little foot movement and swings his arms, moving to 93 with a big drive over mid-on. Sri Lanka reiew when Anderson pads up but it's missing by another set of stumps. The light has improved enough for the umpires to tell Sri Lanka they can use their faster men.

OVER 100: England 228-9 (Anderson 0* Ali 89*) Moeen is again given a full toss from Mahela that he slaps along the ground to mid on. That's two gimmes he's wasted but how could we criticise him after such diligence and skill. he takes a single into the legside, leaving Anderson two balls, which he dabs out towards point. There's some drizzle, now. Not enough, says Bumble.

OVER 99: England 228-9 (Anderson 0* Ali 88*) Herath is back round the wicket with silly point and three catchers on the leg-side. The bowler is aiming for the rough, pushing Anderson further and further back, varying his line, squaring Anderson up. But he survives with luck and judgment, the last ball flying to hand off his pad.

OVER 98: England 228-9 (Anderson 0* Ali 88*) Moeen is after the century, egged on by the fielders, and then quickly becomes circumspect, giving up on the extravagant swish at the first ball, to patting back a half volley. He can't farm the strike as the field comes in to suffocate his options. Another maiden.

OVER 97: England 228-9 (Anderson 0* Ali 88*) Anderson is greeted by five close fielders but plays the two remaining balls away. Broad turning down a single from the ball before his dismissal was very silly.

Wicket!! Broad lbw Herath 0 Plumb. From over the wicket. He had a review left but didn't take it. Well, when I say plumb, it would have been umpire's call, hitting the top of leg. A 24-ball duck, punctuated by a race to the lavatory.

OVER 96: England 228-8 (Broad 0* Ali 88*) The part-timer, as is their curse, drops short and Moeen, who has been superb today, composed, elegant and disciplined, rocks quickly back and smacks him over midwicket for four. Twenty-one overs left.

Peter Bray is another Broad advocate.

Cook is a great batsman but not a great captain. I would like to see Broad as captain, he did very well in the ODI series in the WI and looked good as captain. Could it cut at test level? He was always searching for wickets, not reacting to the situation.

OVER 95: England 224-8 (Broad 0* Ali 84*) The ring surrounds Broad who uses his pad mainly, kicking it away with a big front foot stride. Pitching it a little fuller and straighter btings the bat into play and Broad acquits himself well.

OVER 94: England 224-8 (Broad 0* Ali 84*) The umpires' deployment of light meters persuades Sri Lanka to go for spin at each end. Jayawardene to bowl his off-spin, around the wicket, to Moeen. And despite his rustiness, he gets one to grip and rip past Moeen's outside edge. A maiden. The batsmen bump fists.

OVER 93: England 224-8 (Broad 0* Ali 84*) Again Moeen takes a single off the first ball, so he's not chaperoning him away from the spinner. Broad has slip, silly point, leg slip, backward and forward short square. Chandimal whips off the bails after one fizzes past the outside edge but the batsman had his foot down. That's drinks.

OVER 92: England 223-8 (Broad 0* Ali 83*) Moeen plays another tremendous shot, steering it through midwicket with a graceful swish for four, then takes a single off the last ball to protect Broad again. "One mistake," shouts Mahela.

OVER 91: England 218-8 (Broad 0* Ali 78*) Farms the strike then gives it up, letting Broad, the prop and cougher, have a go for five balls from Herath. Andd he gets his stride in and pads them away as the bowler screeches and the fielders hector him.

OVER 90: England 217-8 (Broad 0* Ali 77*) Double change as Prasad comes on and he smashes a glorious back foot drive through the covers for four. He's got some neck playing that shot at this time. Good to see. And he farms the strike.

OVER 89: England 212-8 (Broad 0* Ali 72*) Herath is making this new ball skid on and with three left-handers left and all that rough, you would think he would finish them off. Broad turns down a single off the last ball.

Wicket!! Jordan lbw Herath 21 The new ball did for him, but from the spinner. Jordan had nothing to lose by reviewing, but it was plumb. As he knew.

England review Jordan given out lbw b Herath 21 It hit him on the shin. He didn't hit it says hot spot. It would have hit the top of leg-stump. OUT.

Will Follett proposes Stuart Broad:

Being based in Dubai, I am not sure if I have missed something but why is no one mentioning Stuart Broad for the Captaincy? He has the experience (albeit T20), he has the respect of his peers and his form is always there or thereabouts? Broad to Captain. Cook to vice-captain. Wait a couple of years and then Root to take over.

OVER 88: England 211-7 (Jordan 21* Ali 72*) Good defence from Jordan to Eranga, killing the ball with an angled bat. I wrote a probably premature hymn of praise to him a few weeks back, but I think his batting is, at this stage, more truly Test class (as a No8) than he is as a first-change bowler. A maiden. Time for spin.

OVER 87: England 211-7 (Jordan 21* Ali 72*) Wow. A ball on a decent length pops off the pitch and ramps up way over Chandimal's head for gour byes and give Chris Jordan a landmine to worry about. Thirty overs to go.

OVER 86: England 205-7 (Jordan 20* Ali 71*) Eranga is getting some swing which makes the shot Jordan plays, a wonderful caress through midwicket for four, a mite risky. He does play it well, though. Then Sri Lanka ask the question of the third umpire but Moeen's shake of the head tells us he feels the ball flicked his trousers, not his bat, on the way through to Chandimal.

Sri Lanka review Moeen given not out down caught down the leg-side. He didn't touch it. Not out.

OVER 85: England 200-7 (Jordan 15* Ali 71*) Lovely shot from Moeen brings up the 200, a punch off his hip for four. He's got some style but then Pradeep almost nabs him, pushing him on to the back foot and slanting it across him, just past the outside edge.

Harry writes:

For those majority of comments which say Cook should resign, here's something to consider: MS Dhoni has lost 10 of his last 12 away Tests, the remaining two being drawn and all the four away series. What do you say to that?

I'd say Indiaplace less importance on Test cricket than England, that the captaincy of India is as much a political role as a sporting role and that the Indian public doesn't give much of a toss about away Test series.

OVER 83: England 196-7 (Jordan 15* Ali 67*) Pradeep again bowls an absolute corker at Moeen, just short of a good length and zipping off the pitch towards the slips. Too good for thee, lad. Too good for anyone. The only run off the over comes from a ridiculous wide that is ndesigned to keep Jordan down the other end for Eranga but booms miles over the batsman's head.

Pennie Chapman wants a lion to lead the lions

Sitting in the south of France switching to the Telegraph for info on the Test. I've never thought Cook as a captain and it's spoilt his batting. He makes poor fielding and bowling decisions and seems lost. But not sure who could do the job - Bell needs to score runs and Root is too young. But I still think we have a good team, just leadership wanted.

OVER 82: England 195-7 (Jordan 15* Ali 67*) Eranga tempted Jordan to flash at one outside off and he edged it to second slip but the third umpire correctly judged that his foot had left no mark behind the line. Jordan finishes the over with a modest drive through the covers for three, not wholly committed to the follow through, but exactly the kind of front foot shot that Sri Lanka want him to play.

No Wicket!! Jordan c Jayawardene b Eranga 12 Wait, again we check for the no-ball. Scrub that, it was a no-ball. Eranga an inch or so over.

OVER 81: England 186-7 (Jordan 12* Ali 66*) Pradeep opens up with the new cherry, Jordan running the ball behind point to get off strike then Moeen takes four in the same area, loosening his grip to drop it short of gully. Nicely played though Pradeep makes his mark with the last ball, which jags in and whistles past Moeen's 'abdominal protector' area. 'Twas almost an unelective vasectomy.

OVER 80: England 181-7 (Jordan 10* Ali 62*) Mahela hurries through his over, giving Jordan an invitation to have a dart at him, which discretion forces him to decline. New ball due, and taken.

OVER 79: England 173-7 (Jordan 10* Ali 61*) Herath finishes his spell (before the new ball) with a maiden, trying variations of flight and a mixture of orthodox spinners and arm-ball sliders.

OVER 78: England 180-7 (Jordan 10* Ali 61*) Mahela begins from around the wicket to Jordan, with his sliders. Pretty decent shape straight up, though, considerinh how long it has been. This is the first of at least 40 overs that are available. Jordan takes a single with a whip through midwicket then Moeen helps hismelf to a four when the ball turns away from outside off and he uses the angle to late cut it down to the squarish third man boundary.

16.20 People are unhappy. Peter Furey has had enough. The times they are a-changin'

They cannot blame Pieterson so who can they blame, poor preparation not enough rest?

England have nowhere to go, Peter Moores has no real chance with a poor if not totally inept Captain. One thing seems to me from all the articles etc that I have read is that if England are being over coached and instructed then it is time to allow the players to think for themselves, get rid of the analysts and coaches and alow the guys to play naturally and to their instincts. If they are good enough they will succeed if not then they will fail and we will know why.

Cook has sown the seeds of doubt into the team now with this debacle surely he cannot stay on now but I bet they will stick with him and he with them (ECB). Sad ineptitude all around in our sport, soccer has partly the same problem but looks to have a possibly better future than Cricket unless we change something now before India.

I do not have the answers but the problems have definitely been laid bare in this match or should we say mis - match between Captains.. Go SL Go

So has Andrew Barnes.

I agree with a lot of comments made by readers. England has simply tinkered since the winter. By removing Pietersen, England have simply tried to paper over the cracks of what is a huge problem. Get rid of Pietersen and Cook becomes a better captain seems to have been the logic. He is awful captain and this is the crux of the problem, and has not been addressed, or certainly not appropriately. He’s a fine batsman, just not a captain and there is no shame in that. He should resign following this test, what ever the outcome and go back to doing what he does best – scoring heavy runs! Who can be England’s next skipper though? There are not many candidates…

I’d also like to see James Vince, Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler and a specialist spinner in the side for the Indian tests. Moeen Ali wont get many overs against the Indians, therefore we should either play another batsman or a specialist spinner. James Vince is the perfect no. 4 to be Pietersen’s long term replacement.

And Peter Rowntree

IRegardless of the outcome of this match now Cook should resign, and should be joined by Moores, and Downton. The new era of cricket promised has not produced acceptable standards of play.

OVER 77: England 173-7 (Jordan 9* Ali 56*) Well played by Jordan who has silenced the Sri Lanka war drums in his ears by waiting for Herath to drop short and flicking it behind square for a two and a single while killing anything straighter with softish hands. Moeen breaks for tea with a sweep off middle and off.

OVER 76: England 169-7 (Jordan 6* Ali 55*) Moeen takes two off Prasad's over, again turning it through midwicket. He played a better shot, an elegant whip through mid-on but he cannot beat the field. One over left before tea.

Evan Dunn demands attack.

England may as well use the overs they have left to try and win this now - pathetic display - Cook and Prior the main culprits I'm afraid. Again

It's Aftermyth of War time. Give us a futile gesture. "Get up in a crate, Perkins, pop over to Bremen.Take a shufti. And don't come back."

OVER 75: England 167-7 (Jordan 6* Ali 53*) Herath bowls another cobra-esque leaper that turns viciously past Jordan's edge but the all-rounder is unfazed, sweeping the next for four. The fielders are in his ear, telling him to play his natural game, to stop being so defensive. The match referee has informed Sky that line decisions on no-balls give the benefit of the doubt to the bowler, hence Matt Prior can have no complaints.

&lt;noframe&gt;Twitter: OptaJim - 3 - Three of the four best bowling figures by a Sri Lankan pace bowler in England have been recorded in this Test. Heady. &lt;a href="https://twitter.com/search?src=hash&amp;q=%23EngvSL" target="_blank"&gt;#EngvSL&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/noframe&gt;

OVER 74: England 163-7 (Jordan 2* Ali 53*) Moeen is not going to do a Mathews and protect Jordan. And why should he? Jordan is one of the side's best batsmen. Moeen tales a single off the first ball leaving Prasad five balls to add to his five-for. But Jordan, comfortably enough, just gives him two, standing up and tucking the ball behind squre on the leg-side for another single.

OVER 73: England 161-7 (Jordan 1* Ali 52*) Jordan gets off the mark first ball off Prasad then faces six from Herath who beats him with a peach that does him in the flight and with the turn and bounce. It is greeted with a kind of ululating from the field.

OVER 72: England 161-7 (Jordan 1* Ali 52*) Prasad comes round the wicket to Prior with a short leg, a chirping field and some bouncers for the Slab of Wensleydale who stops play for the second time because of behind the arm movement a ball after one whistles over his shoulder. And after giving him some stick for faffing about, Sri Lanka nail their man. Some debate about whether Prasad had any of his heel behind the line. The consensus among the Telegraph subs is that there wasn't any shoe leather behind it. The view from the third umpire was that there was enough. I'm not even sure the line was straight.

Wicket!! Prior c Silva b Prasad 10 Or is it a no-ball? His heel is on the line or is there any part behind? Up to Paul Reiffel to judge. It's out. They've done him with the short stuff, rattled him with the rib-ticklers, until he fended one off his nipple with his gloves to Kaushal Silva under the lid.

OVER 71: England 160-6 (Prior 10*, Ali 52*) What the appeal might have done, though, is to remind Moeen of the threat that Herath poses. There were two noises, bat on ground, ball on pad.

Sri Lanka review for a catch off Moeen Ali given not out. He didn't hit it but was it leg-before? Not out every which way but loose, it missed the inside edge as it flew off the pad to leg slip and was missing leg stump.

OVER 70: England 160-6 (Prior 10*, Ali 52*) It seems as if we're in a holding period, waiting for the new ball, both batsmen eschewing all risks. Prasad resorting to bouncing Prior and giving him a bit of lip.

OVER 69: England 158-6 (Prior 9*, Ali 51*) Herath to Prior, looking to work a way through the gate, but Prior so far has played him well, clipping him behind point for a single.

OVER 68: England 157-6 (Prior 8*, Ali 51*) Prasad returns after a long breather. He bustles in to Moeen but needs a hrader ball to be as dangerous as he was last night. Havings aid that he bounces Prior, surprising the Cheese, and then the ball goes loopy after it bounces, zig-zagging past Chadimal in the air and flying down to fine third man for three byes that Godfrey Evans would not have prevented.

OVER 67: England 153-6 (Prior 8*, Ali 50*) The low arm of Herath, notes Nasser Hussain, almost precludes the bat-pad catch because he gets so little bounce, a point made after Prior does tickle one round the corner but short of the fielder.

OVER 66: England 153-6 (Prior 8*, Ali 50*) Maiden from Eranga, making Moeen play at two, one of which he pushes into the covers, but his leaves are as valuable for England and the longevity of his innings.

OVER 65: England 153-6 (Prior 8*, Ali 50*) Prior is prepared to give it the maker's name to Herath but when the bowler drifts on to his leg stump he clips it through midwicket for a single, as does Moeen, to the other side of the square obviously, to bring up a deserved and maiden Test fifty. Gloves are punched.

OVER 64: England 151-6 (Prior 7*, Ali 49*) Eranga is taking his time to get through an over even without no-balls. Moeen is not unnerved by the fraught forties and lets Eranga's width do his defensive job for him without having to use his bat.

OVER 63: England 150-6 (Prior 6*, Ali 49*) Herath is back at the Football Stand End, but oddly ver the wicket to Moeen, who uses his feet and the gift of being able to remove the rough from his mind for a moment, to waltz down the pitch and whack a four over mid on. But Herath doesn't mind that, and spears in a quicker one across the batsman, going on with arm outside off. Moeen can't help himself and has a dabble and a miss that makes the Sri Lankans 'ooh' in unison.

OVER 62: England 146-6 (Prior 6*, Ali 45*) A single for Brigadier Ali off Eranga. There are 55 overs left after this, with 204 to win. Which must have made Andrew Beardsley light headed:

If we win this now England will win 7-1 tonight. Lampard getting all 8 including an OG.

&lt;noframe&gt;Twitter: Derek Pringle - Bit late with this but the Yorkie battler Joe Root is out. Fortunately for England the Auk of Auckland, Matt Prior has joined Mo&lt;/noframe&gt;

OVER 61: England 145-6 (Prior 6*, Ali 44*) Matt Prior looks in nick, playing a very good back-foot punch through the covers for three after a sweet turn off middle and off for two to backward square. Turning that straight one into the leg-side would have castled me had I played it. I can't play those shots anymore. Expensive over as Moeen finishes with a thick outside edge along the ground through the slips for four. Three successive no balls make it a nine-ball over. The Sky boys discuss Bumble's mantelpiece pet cemetery, his quintessence of dust. That's DRINKS after a six-minute over.

OVER 60: England 132-6 (Prior 1*, Ali 39*) There's little doubt that the Football Stand End is the one to bowl from, Herath getting nothing, even in the rough outside Moeen's off-stump. He removes the off-side outfielders to encourage Moeen to drive, and he responds with a fine cover drive for four and a steer behind point for two, using his feet well both times. Prior had eralier got off the mark with a thick inside edge, a shot intended to mid off reaping him a run at long leg.

OVER 59: England 125-6 (Prior 0*, Ali 33*) Eranga has a jump on his invisible pogo stick, doing the universal mime for putting out a fire with your foot, when the ball squeezes under Moeen's bat, takes a chunk of it and skids through, one bounce, to the keeper.

So has Evan Dunn

15 overs and we'll be done.

Matthew Nunn has been doing the equations:

I would wager that a large majority of England fans would rather see us lose today and Cook resign, than perform a ‘great escape’ and give Cook a lifeline. I’m probably siding with the former, although I think there is a 0% chance he will resign/be sacked if we lose.

OVER 58: England 125-6 (Prior 0*, Ali 33*) The Lankans pump up the volume. Greeting every dot ball as if it's a ripper. Moeen sweeps a single and the Cheese plays well defensively, with a full face.

OVER 57: England 124-6 (Prior 0*, Ali 32*) Pradeep bowls a big inswinger that he seems surprised with as it drifts on to Root's pads and is whipped with a big bottom hand lash between square leg and midwicket. Perhaps that means he is getting reverse if he looks so perplexed by the swing he did elicit? The ball did zip back off the pitch to bamboozle Root. Here comes Monsieur Grand Fromage.

Wicket!! Root c Thirimanne b Pradeep 31 He looked as if the recent boundaries had given him the confidence that he had paid his dues, done all the hard work and it was time to cash in. He tried to turn a straightish ball off his pads, playing across the line, I think the ball just stayed true rather than swing into his legs, and it flew off the outside edge to gully where Thirimanne pouched a sharp and unexpected chance brilliantly.

OVER 56: England 120-5 (Root 27*, Ali 32*) This track is a road for Herath from the Kirkstall Lane End. There's no real turn as Root square drives magnificently for four but then just to spite us and convince Root there be monsters in that pitch he does get one to grip and spit outside off-stump.

OVER 55: England 115-5 (Root 22*, Ali 32*) A boundary for Root, his first of today, tucked off his hip behind square as Eranga strains for the leg-side strangle. That came after Moeen had clipped a single to midwicket.

OVER 54: England 109-5 (Root 18*, Ali 31*) At last Herath returns, this time down the hill from the KLE. Ali takes a single off a bat-pad wide of silly point.

We were talking earlier about radical solutions. None so radical as Ryan Maloney, though I would question his sincerity/sanity.

I think Freddie Flintoff should be considered a shoe-in for Cook's replacement following his recent re-emergence.

Morale in the dressing room would be higher than ever, the run rate wouldn't be so depressing and there might be some inches in the papers that aren't all doom and gloom - Rooty for one looks like he would benefit from a nice pedalo ride.

OVER 53: England 108-5 (Root 18*, Ali 30*) A smile from Root as Mathews almost does for him with a good length ball outside off that the batsman definitely has a swish at. He plays the short one better this over, getting up on his toes and tucking it round the corner off his thigh pad.

OVER 52: England 106-5 (Root 16*, Ali 30*) Eranga is giving Root some knuckle music, and he's playing the short of a length balls arrowed into his midriff badly, almost gloving the first to backward short leg. He manages to get off strike with a drop into the off-side. Eranga is only hitting 82mph tops but the bounce is problematic, given his height and high action. he's bowling too many short ones, too, falling into England's trap, and Moeen pulls one behind square for four more off the splice than the middle. Time for Herath, surely Shirley?

OVER 51: England 100-5 (Root 15*, Ali 26*) David Lloyd warns Joe Root to be careful with how far he's backing up at the non-striker's end given the fesitiness of the atmosphere. Mankad, the sequel?

Lanky laments:

Funny how the umpires talk to Mathews about on field chat when nobody ever has a chat with the England team ever - I wonder why??? Racism? Imperialism? England never do anything wrong - just typical of these umpires and a system that says Sri Lanka are not a 'top rate' team as England, India, Australia - game is appalling.

I don't know why they so rarely censure England or Australia. Do you really think it is racism? Could it be because they are the paymasters? Because the umpires share roughly the same heritage and language? Find some of it funny?

OVER 50: England 99-5 (Root 15*, Ali 26*) Both umpires have told Mathews to calm down and pipe down. Eranga is attempting to rough Root up, judiciously using his height to smack it into Root's ribs. The batsman takes another blow on his gloves with his eye off the ball then follows it by ducking and taking four leg-byes as it skims his shoulder blade on its way to the long stop boundary. Eranga mixes it up with an attempted yorker that the batsman drives on the full toss through mid-off for two. Mahela Jayawardene tells Joe Root that the boot is on the other foot after he was chirping yesterday ad on Sunday during Liam Plunkett's leg theory exercise.

OVER 49: England 91-5 (Root 11*, Ali 26*) There's a great deal of ill will from the field directed at Joe Root. They're chewing away at him incessantly, but he doesn't seem to care. I always thought he would have a Derek Randall type personality to puncture the tension with some larking, but he doesn't at all. He's a chippy little so and so. Another maiden.

OVER 48: England 91-5 (Root 11*, Ali 26*) Sri Lanka have successfully argued their case for the ball to be changed. Joe Root, a 'busy' fella if ever there was one, puts in his tuppence-worth with the umpire and is sent off by Angelo Mathews with a flea in each ear. The ball was changed because it landed in a puddle caused by the supper soppa discharging a la the Blue Peter elephant, Lulu. Maiden from Eranga to Root, some fizz outside off-stump that Root is content to ignore.

Peter Furey is an advocate of the rest cure

There are quite a few possibilities to replace Cook they are, all in County cricket. It does not matter if they are not the best it may well bring the best out of him. Cook needs to really take a year off from International Cricket.

The ECB need to look to the future and rid the game of Andy Flower and his ilk. The man is not English and should be, sent back where he came from.

I think some of this team have performed really well and there is hope for the future but Cook and Prior need to move on, Cook temporarily, Prior permanently.

I want SL to rub their noses in it but only after Moeen gets his fifty.

OVER 47: England 91-5 (Root 11*, Ali 26*) Herath's break continues, Mathews coming round the wicket to Moeen. I think these two bowlers are trying to rough England up a little. But when Mathews remembers Moeen's fondness for a drive and angle sit acrosss him, the batsman creams it between mid-off and cover for four. Fine shot.

Joshua Judd is multitasking

Watching from a very hot Singapore and I am sure this had been said this series but IT Botham was frankly a very poor captain but an extraordinary all -rounder. The moment he lost the captaincy he regained his form.

Not sure who should be the new captain as I cannot concentrate as I am playing Scrabble with the wife at the same time as thinking about the test.

Her latest effort is "vnt" which by any stretch of the imagination is about as likely to be in the dictionary as Cook is of being captain in 7 days time.

Vnt, as Lady Whiteadder might say, sounds almost exactly the same as ...

OVER 46: England 86-5 (Root 10*, Ali 22*) Moeen wears the ball from Eranga in his armpit for the second time today, getting his hands well out of the way to the bouncer and earning a leg-bye for his fortitude. Eranga is getting some lift to both batsmen, ramping one up to Root who manages to fend it off with his gloves behind square. That will have hurt.

OVER 45: England 83-5 (Root 9*, Ali 22*) Man of the match Mathews perseveres. Root has scored three runs today of forty-odd balls. He has been a model of restraint. Tyke patience. The problem is that when you're reading Wisden in 20 years, if England do not save it, you would look and see his paltry number of runs and not think, what a brave knock. You'd think: 'Slowcoach.' Man of the match maiden from Mathews.

13.30 The players are back on the field.

13.15 The captain and his predecessor share a joke. Alastair Cook doesn't look resigned or resigning to me.

&lt;noframe&gt;Twitter: Sky Sports Cricket - The rain has cleared, the covers are off and play will restart at 1.30pm &lt;a href="https://twitter.com/search?src=hash&amp;q=%23EngvSL" target="_blank"&gt;#EngvSL&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/noframe&gt;

For all the negativity, these two have dropped anchor impressively. England used to spare no expense on preparation. Now it is shared towels.

&lt;noframe&gt;Twitter: Peter Smith - The good folk of Yorkshire have kept their wallets and purses firmly shut. Even a fiver is too much to watch this dross. &lt;a href="https://twitter.com/search?src=hash&amp;q=%23EngvSL" target="_blank"&gt;#EngvSL&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/noframe&gt;

&lt;noframe&gt;Twitter: Andrew Miller - Rain! England cannot be allowed to save this game. Sometimes it's better just to let it all out ... &lt;a href="https://twitter.com/search?src=hash&amp;q=%23EngvSL" target="_blank"&gt;#EngvSL&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/noframe&gt;

12.55 We have a weather update from the Home and Dry app sent by Giles Ripley of MetDesk. My home town's on there. The rain should be gone for the day between 1pm and 1.30pm.

12.30 The umpires have brought lunch forward to 12.30pm. Play will resume at 1.10pm if the rain, as predicted, stops. Good morning so far for England. Root has restrained himself admirably, though Herath, I think, is still capable of pinning him on the back foot. I'll be back in 20 minutes.

&lt;noframe&gt;Twitter: Derek Pringle - Rain and bad light postpone play at Headingley but England will only dare dream of escape if Root and Ali still together at 3pm&lt;/noframe&gt;

Cook is a great batsman, but he is not a great leader or a great captain, he consistently makes bad decisions which end up putting more pressure on him to perform with the bat. During the last but one Ashes tour in Australia he was sublime with the bat, not everyone is cut out for leadership, let him get back to doing what he does best, score runs.

I would add only that there is no shame in not being a good captain. Better to be remembered as a great player than a good player and iffy captain.

Evan Dunn has an exclusive:

Yesterday we wondered why Cook left the field - it was to call the Met Office to establish the accurate weather for today, methinks. So the reason for the attritional play becomes ever more clear. His middle name is Rainmaker.

Sadly, if it is, it's not very apt. The rain is merely a passing shower. At my last employer's I wrote a tirade during the rain break about weather forecasts and received a remarkable email from a correspondent who informed us that he had enjoyed relations with a television weather presenter. Anyone here have anything they wish to share?

Stuart Barber has an exile's perspective:

Although now living in France where cricket does not feature on the national sporting curriculum, I keep a keen interest in cricket. I’m hardly alone in thinking don’t tinker with things, make changes, and if necessary make them big. Four years ago the French nation and their press vilified their national football team, bundled out of the World Cup. Big changes in the manager/trainer and team ensued. Now look at them – feted throughout the country and performing well.

We tinker with team changes, but don’t address the heart of the problem, changing the odd team member does not instil confidence in anyone, least of all the player who makes one or two appearances, and then disappears. We flattered to deceive in winning the Ashes last summer and paid the price in Australia during the winter. Now we are paying the penalty for tinkering. Cook needs a rest to recapture his form in the field and at the crease. From reading your reports and watching the highlights, why do we persist with Prior in the hope that he will bat England out of trouble?

If he does, today, I’ll eat humble pie over him but to succeed we have to make some radical changes.

I think the only thing that would force England to take radical action would be a sustained fall-off in ticket sales and a dwindling of the viewing figures. Even then it would be difficult to make wholesale changes. There just aren't the candidates to take over. Jimmy Anderson and Stuart Broad are excellent bowlers in England, the latter with his hot streaks still a good bowler overseas when he is fit. Prior's return is simply to bolster Cook's captaincy. Buttler is the future and should be in the Test team now. As my colleague, the former wicketkeeper Hugh Bateson, says - with no quality spinner they don't need a wicketkeeper like Alan Knott, they can go with a goalkeeper who can learn the art of keeping to spin on the job.

OVER 44: England 83-5 (Root 9*, Ali 22*) Maiden from Eranga, one leaping and smacking Moeen in his upper rib-cage with his hands lifted out of the way. The rain is heavier and off go the players. Rain stops play.

Jon Lawford writes

I'm always uneasy when there are calls for resignations or sackings. We are talking about the guys career here. On the surface when you look more closely at the stats he's not the worst but far from the best captain England have ever had.

I think the concern is his poor judgment and lack of leadership skills, something that he should be being given support and training to develop. Also I personally don't see a natural replacement.

I take your point, Jon, but it's not really his career, it's his captaincy we're talking about. I keep going back to Tendulkar. They gave him a go as captain, found that he wasn't a natural, took a hard decision given the support he has, and made Ganguly captain, telling Sachin to concentrate on scoring and winning matches. A natural replacement, probably not. Root perhaps.

OVER 43: England 83-5 (Root 9*, Ali 22*) Angelo Mathews, after a Green Goddess routine to warm up, pust himself on to bowl. There's some mizzle in the Leeds air and there's always one who puts an umbrella up in the crowd. That always angers me. Grown men with umbrellas at a sporting event. Nearly as bad as grown men pulling their luggage on wheels. Grown men! Moeen takes a single off the last ball, pushing it between midwicket and mid-on.

OVER 42: England 82-5 (Root 9*, Ali 21*) Yikes, the last thing you'd want to do having grafted for an hour is get strangled down the lgside off a windy waft off your hip. But Moeen can't resist having a flick, and fortunately for him, missing. Drinks.

OVER 41: England 81-5 (Root 9*, Ali 20*) Herath shouts for a leg-before but Root's inside edge rather undermines his case. It's a good over, though, giving Root's hesitancy in coming forward and bias towards playing back a proper examination. You can almost hear the angel on Root's shoulder bellowing 'forward' as the devil shouts 'back'.

OVER 40: England 81-5 (Root 9*, Ali 20*) Maiden from Eranga, but a poor one, Moeen was able to let five past without having to play a stroke. It will still get the big M in the scorebook but should come with an asterisk.

OVER 39: England 81-5 (Root 9*, Ali 20*) I'm keen not to jinx Moeen, but as Michael Atherton says, there are encouraging signs that he has thought about how to play Herath and adapted since his odd second innings at Lord's. He waits for the flight, not rushing his shot in a pre-meditated panic, takes a stride to meet it and runs it down behind point with an open face for two. He gets a big step in again to push it past silly point for a single.

OVER 38: England 79-5 (Root 9*, Ali 18*) Eranga replaces Prasad who bowled well in his opening spell and the reliever sticks to the same line and length, teasing Ali. I'd take out the mid-off to both batsmen and let them drive but the Sri Lankans are going for a mix of putting it out there and inviting the edge, but also drying up the runs and building pressure. Ali takes a single with a jab into the legside, between midwicket and mid-on.

OVER 37: England 76-5 (Root 9*, Ali 16*) Ali gets a single off a false shot, inside edging past short leg off an intended push into the off-side. Herath is enjoying himself and clearly going to have a very long spell.

OVER 36: England 75-5 (Root 9*, Ali 15*) Prasad keeps pegging away outside off, in Sir Geoffrey's beloved corridor. If Heaven exists will t'corridor be in the batsman's hell, but the bowler's paradise? And if so, does that mean they cannot coexist?

Edward Huxley has an idea and some advice for the captain:

Alastair Cook is a great cricketer going through a terrible patch, perhaps he should try batting down the order, say four or five. Somebody should tell him that chewing gum in the field is very inelegant and if he must chew gum he should do it with his mouth closed. Being captain he gets the most exposure to the TV cameras.

I think a career opener going down the order smacks of vulnerability. I hated it when Graham Gooch did it. It's not as if there are any better openers around, unless you want Adam Lyth and Robson, two tyros but entirely inexperienced, opening against India, while the captain is protected from the new ball. They'd die laughing in Australia.

&lt;noframe&gt;Twitter: Phil Tufnell - A lot being said about Cooks position, he needs to stay IMO. Cant have the captain going after 2 games of the 'new era'.&lt;/noframe&gt;

OVER 35: England 75-5 (Root 9*, Ali 15*) If I were Moeen I'd get up the other end sharpish, driving Herath out of the rough is a recipe for a walk back to the pav. He survives, but gives Herath plenty to savour.

OVER 34: England 75-5 (Root 9*, Ali 15*) Root goes straight back up the other end when he leans back and glides the ball down to third man off the full face for a single, which allows Prasad to test Moeen's drive again. Moeen passes it with flying colours, leaning into an off-drive, perfectly timed, that glides all the way to the boundary.

Evan Dunn bids us good morning

If England had retained wickets the target set would have been eminently achieveable. The way things stand, Root and Mooen have to bat all day for any possibility of a win.

OVER 33: England 69-5 (Root 8*, Ali 10*) Root is well and truly trussed by Herath, who keeps varying his pace and flight, Root frightening any England supporter with hope left by playing him off the back foot, though he recovers from that aberration with a wristy flick to midwicket for a single.

OVER 32: England 68-5 (Root 7*, Ali 10*) Having said that, if Prasad drops short, you'd be a molluscan not to cut it and Moeen is no gastropoda, smacking it high over point for four, then square driving another four. Prasad fights back with an inswinger, almost a yorker, that Moeen digs out, hitting it on to his foot and hopping.

OVER 31: England 60-5 (Root 7*, Ali 2*) Moeen looks very streaky so far, trying to rotate the strike by slog sweeping across the line, bottom edging it and getting the single as planned but making Heranga smile and rub his hands together (at least metaphorically). The key on this pitch is avoiding chasing the ball. Make the bowlers bowl you out.

Is the team struggling to avoid defeat not one of the three (along with Australia and India) that is set to form the Top Tier of International Test Cricket in the future?

What are the rules for qualification, demotion and promotion? I am sure the Sri Lankans and the Saffers will be interested.

If my grandson was considering a career in England cricket, I think I would be looking at what other countries for which he could qualify, if such countries would have him.

I think you know as well as I do, Roger, that the rules for qualification, demotion and promotion, are the size of your broadcasting revenues.

OVER 29: England 58-5 (Root 7*, Ali 0*) Root has to deal with two slips as Herath varies his pace and flight, harrying and hurrying Root into trying to get off strike. He looks very uncomfortable and given the lack of crowd hum, you can hear the fielders building the pressure every ball by pretending they're all jaffas. The last ball Root almost does himself in, tapping into the leg-side towards midwicket and setting off in a panic, diving back, covered in dust, just in time before the throw comes in.

OVER 28: England 58-5 (Root 7*, Ali 0*) Prasad immediately finds that perfect Headingley length. No loosener here, though Root gets off strike by inside edging to square leg while attempting to push it past point. The line for Moeen is outside off, full and daring him to drive. Moeen watches as they pass too wide even for a nervy starter to have a dart at. Yet as soon as Prasad gets it closer to off-stump, out comes Moeen's play and miss. Oh you've got green eyes, oh you've got blue eyes, oh you've got grey eyes.Temptation will be Moeen's downfall unless he can resist it.

OVER 27: England 57-5 (Root 6*, Ali 0*) Rangana resumes to Moeen Ali, posyinga leg slip, slip and short leg. The bowler looks for the rough outside off-stump. The noise in the field is bright and chatty, shrieking and encouraging. Three are met with a dead bat, the last fizzes past the outside edge with Ali on the back foot.

10.57 There are four balls left of the 27th over. Disdain for England should not overshadow the praise Sri Lanka deserve. What a tough and dynamic and wily and skilful bunch of cricketers they are.

10.55 Mahela Jayawardena last night said that England were mentally fragile and that Sri Lanka were going to play on that today. he also said that Cook was unwise to respond to Shane Warne's criticism so vehemently. Never wrestle with a chimney sweep, being the basic gist. A piece of advice admirably lost on Danny Baker's father, who said to him when someone wrote a vicious review of something he was in, 'the problem with your buisness - not enough right-handers dished out', advocating that a smack in the mouth is sometimes the only appropriate response.

Vinodi Jayawardena is laughing last and loud, as is his, and Bobby Brown's, prerogative.

Headingley was a ground England banked on for a strong home advantage. Englishmen tried various tactics to hurt and hit on the head of the Sri Lankan players. hey had a few hits on their bodies. End of the series we have a good laugh at England’s bowling tactics.

Take a lesson from our new seamers illustrating how to bowl swing and seam at Headingley although they were rated as an attack "perceived as county standard”.

With another sub-continental team touring England for five Tests later in the summer we predict another white wash unless you get back to your basics with proper line and length and hang in there patiently till the batsmen nick.

10.46 It's Stuart Broad's 28th birthday today. Will he be getting the captaincy gift-wrapped by Giles Clarke? Remember, if he offers you a drink today, Stuart, the pellet with the poison's in the flagon with the dragon; the vessel with the pestle has the brew that is true.

10.45 Still, it could be worse for Alastair Cook. He could be Billy Bowden.

&lt;noframe&gt;Twitter: Fred Boycott - We should play Costa Rica at cricket and Sri Lanka at football. That would give us an outside chance of winning one of the games.&lt;/noframe&gt;

10.30 Morning. "I have of late," says Elsinore's Alastair Cook, "(but wherefore I know not) lost all my mirth, forgone all custom of exercises; and indeed, it goes so heavily with my disposition; that this goodly frame the earth, seems to me a sterile promontory; this most excellent canopy the air, look you, this brave o'er hanging firmament, this majestical roof, fretted with golden fire: why, it appeareth no other thing to me, than a foul and pestilent congregation of vapours."

And yet, as Monday's play went from merely embarrassing to utter humiliation, from the poor to the atrocious, there was something morbidly amusing about it. In the darkest days, sometimes such haplessness can only be tolerated if you laugh at it. You contrast the chirping of the England fielders at the Sri Lanka batsmen on the fifth afternoon at Lord's and on Friday in Leeds with the chastened silence of them on Monday, after their pan-handed catching and one-dimensional approach to bowling, the brain-freeze batting had landed them in the smire and I can't help finding it funny. For England to change, first the mindset has to change.